Screed base and tool for wall structures



Oct. 26, 1965 R. LEVIN SCREED BASE AND TOOL FOR WALL STRUCTURES Filed April 20. 1961 FI-Gb INVENTOR.

RONALD LEVIN "m H W ATTORNE} H United States Patent 3,213,577 SCREED BASE AND TOOL FOR WALL STRUCTURES Ronald Levin, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Joseph A. Ritter, Narberth, Pa. Filed Apr. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 104,365 2 Claims. (Cl. 52-173) This invention relates to wall structures, and more particularly, to plastered Walls having a screed base and a silreed tool for engaging said base and the plaster on said wa Heretofore, it has been conventional in wall constructions to provide a base member :along a bottom of a wall and provide plaster on said wall abutting said base member. The outermost portions of the plaster in abutment with said base member do not support any weight and eventually chip off after the passage of time. The chipping of the outermost portion of the plaster in abutment with the base member is a nuisance to a home owner and detracts from the aesthetic appearance of a Wall.

To conceal the chipping of the plaster, it has been convention-a1 heretofore to provide a molding on said base member extending upwardly above the area of the plaster subject to chipping. This prevents the plaster from dropping onto the floor and conceals the area of the plaster subject to chipping. To provide such a structure, it is necessary that the base member extend outwardly from the plane of the plastered wall, and requires a separate molding which is expensive. It has been found that the cost of the molding is substantially the same per board foot as the base member.

It has been proposed to eliminate the molding by providing a base member lying in the same plane as the plaster on a plastered Wall. To do so, requires the provision of a beveled surface on the edge of the plaster in abutment with the base member. It has been proposed to provide the beveled surface on the plaster by moving a screed tool having a V-shaped projection and a leading edge which engages the base member and the planar surface of the plaster. This manner of providing a beveled edge on the plaster is a slow, tedious job which requires a certain amount of skill. Further, even if the person is a skilled worker, it has been found that the beveled edge on the plaster is not uniform. Thus, the wall lacks an aesthetic appearance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a plastered wall structure having a novel screed base member.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a plastered Wall having a novel screed base member abutting the plaster with a beveled edge on said plaster and a guide means on said base member for a screed tool capable of providing said beveled edge on said plaster.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel screed base and screed tool therefor, with guide means on said screed base for guiding said screed tool.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel screed base member.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel screed base member adapted to be disposed between the plaster on an upright wall and a floor.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel screed base member adapted to be disposed between the plaster on an upright wall and a door frame.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purposeof illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings forms which are presently pre- 'ferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is'not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

3,213,577 Patented Oct. 26, 1965 FIGURE 1 is a sectional perspective view of a wall structure incorporating the screed base member of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a partial perspective view of another embodiment of the screed base member of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a partial perspective view of still another embodiment of the screed base member of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the screed tool of the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the screed tool of the present invention.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the screed tool of the present invention.

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view of a Wall structure adjacent a doorway incorporating the screed base member of the present invention and disclosing the screed tool juxtaposed thereto.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numer'als indicate like elements, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a perspective view of a wall designated generally 'as 10.

The Wall 10 includes a wall stud 12 made from wood and positioned at spaced points therealong as is conventional in the art. A wire screen, or lathing, etc. (not shown) is provided between the adjacent st-uds so as to provide a base for the plaster 14. The wall 10 is'upright with respect to the floor 16.

A screed base member 18 extends along the wall 10 between an edge of the plaster 14 and the floor 16. The base member 18 is maintained in position by a mounting means such as the mounting post 20. The mounting post 20 is fixedly secured to a mounting plate 22 which in turn is fixedly secured to the stud 12 by any conventional means.

As seen more clearly in FIGURE 1, the screed base member 18 is channel-shaped and is provided with a planar central portion 24. Arms 26 and 28 extend from ends of the planar central portion 24 on the same side of the central portion 24. The arm 28 is provided with an integral flange 30 which extends in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the central portion 24. The central planar portion 24 is provided with a guide means, the purpose of which will be made clear hereinafter. The guide means may take the form of a groove 32 as shown in FIGURE 1. The groove 32 is positioned adjacent the arm 28.

As shown more cleanly in FIGURE 2, the screed base member may take the form of the screed base member 18'. The screed base member 18- is substantially identical with the screed base member 18. In place of the groove 32, the screed base member 18' is provided with an integral rib 36.

As shown more clearly in FIGURE 3, the screed base member 18" is provided with an integral rib 36. The rib 36, as shown in FIGURE 2, is provided by a deformation of the planar central portion 24. The rib 36 as shown in FIGURE 3, is provided by increasing the thickness of the central portion 24 so as to form a rib which does not cause an interruption in the planar central portion 24".

As seen more clearly in FIGURES 4 and 5, the screed tool 40 comprises a planar portion 42 and a tubular handle 44. The screed tool 40 is made from a sheet of any suitable material with portions curved and joined together at the seam 46 in any suitable manner such as by brazing.

The planar portion 42 on the screed tool 40 is provided with a leading edge 48. A projection 50 extends from the leading edge 48 adjacent one end of said leading edge 48 in a direction away from the handle 44. A projection 52 at said one end of the leading edge 48 is provided with a guide edge 53 substantially perpendicular to the leading edge 48 and a beveled edge 54 angularly disposed with respect to said leading edge 48.

The screed tool 40', as shown more clearly in FIGURE 6, is substantially identical with the screed tool 40. The leading edge 48' on the screed tool 40 is provided with a recess 56 adapted to cooperate with the ribs 36 or 36'. The screed tool 40 is made from a sheet of any suitable material such as steel, and is planar. Thus, the planar portion 42' lies in the same plane as the handle 44.

As shown more clearly in FIGURE 7, the screed base member 18 may be disposed between the edge of plaster 14 and a door-plate 58. The doorplate 58 is an integral part of a doorway. In this case, the arm 26 will be in abutment with an innermost surface on the doorplate 58.

A wall structure is manufactured according to the present invention by the following method.

A wall skeleton is provided in any conventional manner. Mounting means, such as mounting post 20, is provided at spaced points adjacent the floor and doorway. The mounting means preferably is of the type capable of extending into the channel-shaped base member so as to support the base member without extending through the planar portion of the base member. Then the screed base member, for example base member 18, is positioned on the mounting means with arm 26 in abutment with the floor or the doorplate and with flange in abutment with the stud 12. Preferably, the arm 26 is angled slightly toward the arm 28 so as to assure flush abutment between the floor 16 or doorplate 58 and the edge of the planar central portion 24.

After the screed base member 18 has been mounted, plaster 14 is applied in any conventional manner. The plaster 14 is applied so that an edge thereof is in abutment with substantially the entire surface of the arm 28 on the screed base member 18. Then a screed tool, such as screed tool 40, is manipulated so as to provide the beveled surface 34 on the edge of the plaster 14. The screed tool is manipulated by inserting the projection 51) in the guide means 32 with the guide edge 53 juxtaposed to the arm 28. The screed tool 40 is then moved longitudinally of the screed base member 18 with the projection 52 removing a portion of the plaster 14 so that the beveled edge 54 provides a beveled edge 34 on the plaster 14. As seen more clearly in FIGURE 7, the beveled edge 34 on the plaster 14 extends from the outermost surface of the plaster 14 to a point intermediate the innermost and outermost surfaces of the screed base member 18. Thus, a portion of the arm 28 cooperates with the beveled surface 34 to form a V-shaped notch.

If the screed base member is of the type shown in FIGURES 2 or 3, the screed tool 40 will be used therewith.

With the screed base member and screed tool of the present invention, a uniform beveled surface 34 is provided on the plaster 14 in a rapid manner without requiring the ability of a skilled worker. Thus, even the most unskilled laborer may provide a uniform beveled surface 34 on the plaster 14. The cooperation between the projection on the screed tool and the guide means on the screed base member in conjunction with the guide edge on the screed tool juxtaposed to the arm 28, permits the screed tool to be moved longitudinally of the screed base member without tilting the screed tool relative to the arm 28.

Each of the screed base members 18, 18' and 18" are designed so that they may be extruded from any suitable material such as metal, plastic, etc. The guide means 32, 36 and 36' provide a secondary function. That is, the guide means 32, 36 and 36' guide the screed tool and provide an ornamental finish to the screed base member. The screed base member of the present invention lies in substantially the same plane as the plaster 14, therefore the conventional molding trim is dispensed with. The guide means thus replaces the ornamental feature of the 4 molding trim while also serving the purpose of guiding the screed tool relative to the screed base member. As the screed tool is moved longitudinally along the screed base member, the leading edge 48 is in abutment with the central planar portion on the screed base member.

It will be appreciated that the screed base member of the present invention may also be the baseboard which is an integral part of a baseboard heating arrangement. Further, it will be appreciated that a plurality of guide means may be provided on the central planar portion of the screed base member thereby providing an ornamental finish on the base member which can take a variety of shapes or designs. It will be appreciated that the guide means on the central planar portion of the screed base member may be positioned closer to or farther away from the arm 28.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A screed base comprising a channel shaped member having a substantially planar central portion, arms extending from one side of said central portion at the ends of said central portion, guide means on said central portion extending out of the plane of said central portion, a screed too], said screed tool having a leading edge for abutment with a major portion of said central portion, means on said leading edge for matingly engaging said guide means, a projection at one end of said leading edge for extending over one of said arms, said projection having a bevelled edge angularly disposed with respect to said leading edge, said guide means being a groove, and said means on said leading edge being a projection adapted to mate with said groove.

2. A screed base comprising a channel shaped member having a substantially planar central portion, arms extending from one side of said central portion at the ends of said central portion, guide means on said central portion extending out of the plane of said central portion, a screed tool, said screed tool having a leading edge for abutment with a major portion of said central portion, means on said leading edge for matingly engaging said guide means, a projection at one end of said leading edge for extending over one of said arms, said projection having a bevelled edge angularly disposed with respect to said leading edge, said guide means being a rib, and said means on said leading edge being a recess adapted to mate with said rib.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,170,968 2/16 Elgin 52-211 1,578,796 3/26 Baum 52-215 1,619,947 3/27 Makowski 52-353 1,754,254 4/30 Baum 16-16 1,860,917 5/32 Wires 52-173 1,988,603 1/35 McLaren et a1. 52-273 2,094,703 10/37 Hitzman 52-421 X 2,150,061 3/39 Holdsworth 52-241 2,271,285 1/42 Bussert. 2,326,549 8/43 Miller 52-211 2,585,727 2/52 Barton 52-716 2,856,768 10/58 Schweitzer 15-118 2,900,656 8/59 Tupper 15-105 FOREIGN PATENTS 12,152/ 33 4/33 Australia.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM I. MUSHAKE, JACOB L. NACKENOFF,

Examiners. 

1. A SCREED BASE COMPRISING A CHANNEL SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR CENTRAL PORTION, ARMS EXTENDING FROM ONE SIDE OF SAID CENTRAL PORTION AT THE ENDS OF SAID CENTRAL PORTION, GUIDE MEANS ON SAID CENTRAL PORTION EXTENDING OUT OF THE PLANE OF SAID CENTRAL PORTION, A SCREED TOOL, SAID SCREED TOOL HAVING A LEADING EDGE FOR ABUTMENT WITH A MAJOR PORTION OF SAID CENTRAL PORTION, MEANS ON SAID LEADING EDGE FOR MATINGLY ENGAGING SAID GUIDE MEANS, A PROJECTION AT ONE END OF SAID LEADING EDGE FOR EXTENDING OVER ONE OF SAID ARMS, SAID PROJECTION HAVING A BEVELLED EDGE ANGULARLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID LEADING EDGE, SAID GUIDE MEANS BEING A GROOVE, AND SAID MEANS ON SAID LEADING EDGE BEING A PROJECTION ADAPTED TO MATE WITH SAID GROOVE. 